Benedictine University Official Resigns In Inquiry

The athletic director of Benedictine University in Lisle has resigned after admitting to "the misappropriation and mismanagement of university funds," according to school officials.

James Krause, who was hired as athletic director in 1996, resigned his post in the wake of a personnel inquiry prompted by allegations brought by a member of the university coaching staff, school spokeswoman Sherri Dauskurdas said Thursday.

Krause's resignation was submitted on Feb. 26, Dauskurdas said, but was not announced by the university until Wednesday.

Dauskurdas said that it appeared that the misappropriated funds primarily consisted of gate receipts at athletic matches and other events. No dollar estimate of the misappropriated funds was available.

"To our knowledge, no tuition money or donations to the athletic program were involved," Dauskurdas said.

University officials have turned the matter over to the Illinois attorney general's office for possible criminal prosecution.

Attempts to contact Krause were unsuccessful.

School officials said the inquiry concerning Krause was sparked by unspecified allegations made in mid-February by Steve Chelios, a hockey coach at Benedictine University. Chelios made the allegations to university President William Carroll after Krause unsuccessfully tried to fire the coach due to complaints about his on-ice behavior.

University officials announced Thursday that Chelios' coaching contract had not been renewed for next year. Efforts to reach Chelios also were unsuccessful.

Chelios had been employed on a part-time coaching contract that expired last month with the end of the school's hockey season, Dauskurdas said.

"I don't know what Dr. Krause's reasoning was specifically, but he was not in a position to fire anybody because the only people who can hire and fire here are our president and his delegate," Dauskurdas said.

In the wake of Chelios' allegations, the university hired an outside firm to investigate the matter, Dauskurdas said. The investigation of athletic department operations was still in progress when Krause resigned.